Deciding was the hardest part. To go ahead or not? After thinking a loooooong time, I decided to go ahead. It's been half a year since and here, I just want to share with my dear readers the experience thus far.
Pre-braces
I said that the hardest part was deciding, and it really was. Cos it was not about deciding one day, let's go to the dentist and have the braces fitted. Due to overcrowding of teeth, I had to have four teeth extracted! I cannot even remember the last time I had a normal extraction. All I could remember was my wisdom teeth removal and the experience was .... best left as a memory.
However, with the support of my family and on the advice of the senior consultant, I decided to go ahead.
DISCLAIMER:
All these photographs are original and not photoshopped. They are also my property and for reference only. All opinions expressed are mine and do not serve as substitutes for doctor's advice!
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| Before commencement of treatment |
Then came the extractions which were scheduled a week apart. The extractions were done by another doctor. I think it is quite a common practice since the doctors are all experts in their chosen specialisations but that didn't mean that my orthodontist was free! You'll see why in the next photo.
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| After the first extraction |
You will see that here are blue objects in between my teeth, They are called 'separators', and they were inserted just before I went for my first extraction to space out my teeth and prepare them for the braces. I didn't realise the implications until I got home and wanted to eat. I found out I couldn't really bite on the biting surfaces normally anymore cos those separators were hard! It is a little hard to describe cos normal people won't have this kind of thing in their mouths but it felt like biting on plates? Smooth but very hard.
In case anyone wants to know how the extraction process is like, here it goes. The doctors first explain the risks to you and gets you to sign a letter giving them the go-ahead to extract your teeth and that you have understood the risks involved. Then comes the part which I dislike infinitely. Dislike x infinity. The anesthesia shots. These are the worst. The feeling of the anesthesia travelling through your blood vessels and making your cheeks swell. However, the doctors were really very good and skillful. Both times, they assured me and got the teeth out quickly enough to reduce my misery. The recovery process was normal too. Nothing to take note of very much, except a little soreness where the extractions were done.
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| After the second extraction |
Do excuse the blood. I think I tempted fate by opening my mouth wide to take this photo, but it was really all right! No issue at all.
In the third week, I was finally ready to have my braces fitted!
Ta-dah! My braces are on!
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| Braces 1st Month |
Very uneven and tortured viewing for the reader. But it was normal according to my orthodontist. The brackets couldn't be place on one of the teeth as it was 'rotated' but my doctor assured me that once it was straightened, the bracket (metal thing) would be fixed on. That was about six months ago, and since then, the tooth has straightened out sufficiently. Will give you more details in my next post!
whynotearlier says:
If you are hesitant about getting braces due to the extractions, don't be! Although my doctor may be different from yours, the doctors in Singapore are all well-trained and know their stuff. As one of them told me post-extraction, "Scare yourself for nothing, right?" And I had to agree with her! (Incidentally, all the doctors who did my extractions and my orthodontist are all female! How's that for GIRL POWER?) The extractions are necessary to give your mouth and teeth more space to accommodate the existing teeth so don't feel like it's so sayang to extract perfectly good teeth.
